The Richmond Board of Education voted Wednesday night to suspend academic programming at Sea Island Elementary for the upcoming school year.

The decision came at an emotionally-charged emergency meeting where parents pleaded with the board to explore other options – before heckling trustees after the vote didn’t come down in their favour.

Sea Island Elementary is in the small community of Burkeville located near the south runway of Vancouver International Airport.

Ken Hamaguchi, board chair, said declining enrollment snowballed this spring and forced the board’s hand.

"Our numbers went down to about 13 kids,” he said. “And so that necessitated the staff to ask the question, can we provide a viable program?"

Until now, the school has served kindergarten to Grade 3, with all students in one classroom with the same teacher.

Earlier this year, the district announced there would be no kindergarten intake at Sea Island this September, but parents were not prepared for the older students to be forced out.

In fact, a notice went home to parents on June 22 announcing a new teacher had been hired for the fall.

But just two days later, the superintendent made the decision that enrollment was too low to justify a class at Sea Island for September.

"The timing of it...letting us know on the first day of summer holidays and giving us eight weeks’ notice was our main issue,” said parent Lee Marten. “And half the parents in the neighbourhood haven't even been notified yet."

Hamaguchi said the district had no idea that enrollment would drop so rapidly – going from 22 in April to just 13 – as some families chose to enroll their children in other schools.

He said the remaining students will be accommodated at Brighouse Elementary and the district will provide school bus transportation for the four-kilometre trip.

"For me, I am not interested in sending my child to Brighouse and I feel that it's my right to choose and carefully plan for her education,” said parent Keira Simmons.

Hamaguchi said parents can explore other options for schools in Richmond if there is space available.

"I know they're frustrated and I don't blame them,” he said. “But once again, we're sort of looking at the bigger broader picture of what's in the best interest of all the kids."

The board says if enrollment for Sea Island Elementary increases next spring, students could return to the school for the start of September 2020.

It’s not the answer parents who attended the meeting were hoping for.

"Shame on them, tonight,” said Marten. “That's all I've got to say."